Nuestra Señora de Belén

ML031 Box 28 Marian Holy Card Collection

Country

Puerto Rico

Description

According to legend, the painting of Our Lady of Bethlehem appeared next to a fountain where the Dominican convent in San Juan would later be constructed in the early 1500s. As an artifact, Our Lady of Bethlehem an oil painting on wood in the Flemish-style that specialists attribute to Rogier van der Weyden, a painter from Brussels. The painting depicts Nuestra Señora de Belén as having a relatively pale face and strawberry red hair. Around her head are rays as she bares a breast to feed the Baby Jesus.

Devotion to Nuestra Señora de Belén became significant during the Battle of San Juan in 1797 ,which was a British assault on the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. During this attack, bishop Juan Bautista Zengotita gave the order for daily public prayers to be said in all the parishes of San Juan. According to a legend recounted by Cayetano Coll y Toste, the painting of Nuestra Señora de Belén was carried through the city as the faithful, whom were mostly women, carried torches and candles while singing songs. This resulted in the British army being frightened at the sight and deciding to retreat, no longer threatening the city.

In celebration, renowned painter José Campeche attributed the protection of San Juan to Our Lady of Bethlehem. To show his gratitude, Campeche devoted much of his time to reproducing a number of paintings of Nuestra Señora de Belén. José Campeche’s actions would catch the attention of the people of San Juan, who began to refer to Nuestra Señora de Belén as “La Protectora de la Ciudad” or the “Guardian of the City.” Some of Campeche’s paintings of Nuestra Señora de Belén can be found in Old San Juan's National Gallery and the Museum of the Universidad de Puerto Rico in Río Piedras.

In 1806, Juan Alejo de Arizmendi, the first Puerto Rican bishop, granted forty days of indulgence to those who said a Hail Mary in front of the image. Nuestra Señora de Belén shares a feast day with Our Lord, on the 25th of December.

References:

1. García, Cristina Huete. “Hagiopedia: Nuestra Señora de Belén.” Hagiopedia (blog), December 25, 2014.

2. “Our Lady of Bethlehem (Puerto Rico).” Wikipedia. August 18, 2023.

Researched by Aneudy De Jesus

Popular Devotions

Popular Devotion: Prayer to images of Our Lady of Bethlehem

Hail Mary

Dios te salve, María. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo. 

Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres. 

Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesús. 

Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, 

ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte.

Amen.